SNC-Lavalin has won a CA$12.5m (£7.3m) design contract for a major new biopharmacutical facility in Quebec City, Canada.

The new facility will regroup Medicago’s head office and consolidate all its current Canadian operations at an innovation park in the city. The headquarters will house research and development activities and commercial production in the city's Espace d'innovation D'Estimauville.

Once complete, the 44,000m2, fully automated facility will house manufacturing, offices, laboratories, a greenhouse, a pilot plant and support services. Construction is expected to begin in the autumn of this year.

“Our relationship with Medicago dates back to 2008,” said Ian Edwards, president, infrastructure, SNC-Lavalin. “We are very proud to be part of a local project that, once complete, will export vaccines to foreign markets and help Canada meet its seasonal and pandemic flu vaccine needs.”